Dahlonega, Ga — On a gorgeous day for high school baseball on Tuesday, April 11th as the Pickens Dragons made the little over an hour trip up to Dahlonega to begin their final 3-game series in 7-AAA play. Coming into the game, the Dragons had won 15 straight and were in 1st place in 7-AAA. The Indians, came into the game winning 2 out of 3 against several Florida teams last week and were tied for 2nd with Wesleyan in 7-AAA. Harper Davenport, threw a complete game, 4-hit shutout for the Indians as they took game 1, 4-0.

In the top of the first, Trace Ledbetter would reach with a 1-out single. In what would be a theme throughout the game, Davenport would induce an inning ending double play to send it to the bottom of the first. In the bottom of the frame, Davenport led off by reaching on a double. After taking 3rd on a wild pitch, Davenport would come in to score on an RBI triple by Alejandro Narvaez to make it 1-0.

Cooper Scott, would follow that up with an RBI single on the next pitch to bring in Narvaez to make it 2-0. Scott, would come around to score after a grounder and a pair of passed balls to make it 3-0 Indians going to the second.

To lead off the top of the second, new Brewton-Parker College commit Harlan Will, would reach on an error. After picking up his first strikeout of the game, Davenport, induced the 2nd inning ending double play to send it to the bottom of the second with the Indians leading, 3-0. In the bottom of the second, Dragons starter Connor Shouse, picked up his 3rd strikeout of the game for the first out.

Mason Hester, then reached on a 1-out single. Tyler Boggs, then followed by drawing a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 1-out. Freshman catcher Kam Jenkins, threw out Hester after he attempted to take 3rd for the 2nd out. Shouse, picked up his 2nd strikeout and his 4th overall for the final out to send it to the third with Lumpkin still leading, 3-0.

In the top of the third, freshman A.J. Rice, led off with a single to left field. After Davenport got Evan Giddens to fly out to center for the first out, he got a come backer from Colby Brooks that started the third straight inning ending double play to send it to the bottom of the third with the Indians still up, 3-0. In the bottom of the third, Shouse got the first two outs of the inning via strikeout, giving him 6 on the night.

Peyton Wood, kept the inning alive by reaching on an error. After Wood stole 2nd, Adian Rogers would bring him in with the single to make it 4-0. Jenkins, picked up his 2nd caught stealing of the game as he threw out Rogers attempting to steal 3rd for the final out of the third. Going to the fourth, it was 4-0 Lumpkin.

In the top of the fourth, Davenport, picked up his first fully clean inning as he got 2 ground outs and his 2nd strikeout of the game to send it to the bottom of the fourth. In the bottom of the fourth, Shouse, in what would be his final inning of work, got around hitting a batter with 2-outs as he picked up his 7th and 8th strikeout and a ground out to send it to the fifth, Indians leading, 4-0.

In the top of the fifth, Dawson Holland reached with a 1-out single. but Davenport picked up his 3rd and 4th strikeout of the game to get out of the top of the frame and send it to the bottom half of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, Tee Knight came on in relief of Shouse. Knight, worked around a 2-out error and a walk to keep the Indians scoreless and send it to the sixth, Lumpkin up, 4-0.

In the top of the sixth, Giddens led off by reaching on an error. The Indians, then turned their 4th double play of the game as Rogers caught a shallow pop fly by Brooks and was able to get Giddens at 1st for the second out. Shouse, now playing shortstop, kept the top of the sixth alive with a single. Davenport, got Ledbetter to line out to left for the 3rd out of the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Cason Cannon came on in relief of Knight.

After giving up a lead off single to Hayden Gilbert, Cannon picked up a strikeout, a ground out to Giddens, and Jekins picked up his 3rd caught stealing as he threw out Gilbert trying to take 3rd. Going to the seventh, the Indians still led the Dragons, 4-0.

In the top of the seventh, Trey Payne, led off by drawing a walk. Davenport, looking for the complete game, induced what would be the 5th double play of the game for the first 2 outs of the seventh. Davenport, then picked up his 5th strikeout of the game to finish off the complete game shutout as the Indians took game 1, 4-0.

Stats for the Dragons:

Connor Shouse: 1-3 with a single & 4 IP, 5 hits, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 8 K on 78 pitches

Trace Ledbetter: 1-3 with a single

Trey Payne: 1 walk

Dawson Holland: 1-3 with a single

Kam Jenkins: 3 runners thrown out

A.J. Rice: 1-2 with a single

Tee Knight: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K on 14 pitches

Cason Cannon: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K on 11 pitches

The series will now shift to Jasper on Thursday, April 13th as the Dragons will host the Indians for game 2 of the 3-game set. The Dragons, still find themselves in 1st place in 7-AAA as they are 22-4 and 14-2 in region play. Lumpkin, is now 19-5 and 10-3 in region play. First pitch on Thursday is set for 5:55 pm.